Latest from Noises Off
Never have I ever had my identity questioned…
For Take a Breath, sharing Seen with audiences has been a long time coming: their devising process began in 2019, with April 2020 as the originally scheduled performance at NSDF. Finally, they can breathe a sigh of relief as the culmination of their hard work is presented virtually to audiences. I can confidently say it has been worth the wait.
Never have I ever had my rights debated…
While time may heal some wounds, the same cannot be said for the difficult topics raised by Take a Breath. This tenacious ensemble of actors takes their frustrations, accentuated by but by no means limited to the events of the last year, and pour these emotions into a piece radiating passion and pain. Drawing on personal experiences of prejudice and racial discrimination, the actors dance, sing, laugh and cry; communicating in every which way messages urgently needing to be told.
Never have I ever felt like an Other in my own country…
Flashes of light-hearted banter between friends are quickly quelled by unflinching representations of aggressions towards racial minorities. Moses Oridoye shines in particular, inviting the audience into a distressing stop and search scenario which he confides later in the Q&A as being motivated by an experience from his own life.
Never have I ever been proud of my own country…
Seen is an overwhelmingly raw performance, intended to linger on in the minds of its audience. While moments of this production might require refinement, with clunky transitions interrupting an otherwise seamless flow, you simply don’t care watching. The heart and soul of Seen transcends the glare of a computer screen. In the post-show silence, alone in my room, I am compelled to ruminate on the struggles this country is yet to truly see.
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